Rematch
by muffinlover101
Summary: Coraline wants nothing more than her 14th birthday to be a boring one with Wybie. What happens when her birthday present ends up being a second trip to the place that she fears most? Post-Movie. Second attempt at a sequel. Coraline/Wybie eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: *enters the empty Coraline section* ...Anyone still here? I thought I'd try again at a sequel, this time with a longer plot and in 1st point of view. I promise that, *sigh* yes, this will end happily and differently than my last one.**

**This is a short chapter because... well, you know. It's the first one and I'm not sure what I'm doing.**

**Feel free to put any ideas for this story in a review! It would be greatly appreciated.**

* * *

Okay, so maybe I _didn't _have any friends.

I just asked... What was her name again? I just asked Jessica Rivers if she would like to come to my 14th birthday party. Like everyone else I had encountered excluding Wybie, her reaction to my question wasn't that great. She stuttered a little bit, unsuccessfully trying to come up with an excuse as to why she couldn't come to the party. The way her eyes stared into space as she mumbled the word 'uh' multiple times was enough to tell me that she had no desire to come. Letting the invitation go limp in my hand, I backed off.

"I understand, Jessica," I muttered, making my way out of the crowd of girls. I rarely spoke quietly, for I felt as though my opinion mattered and it needed to be heard. This time, however, it wasn't worth it to say anything intelligent. I was definitely not in the mood to start another fight. _That _wouldn't look good again. Perhaps this was why everyone was so hesitant to do things with me and just be in my presence. At this point, I was tired of it. I was never really fond of hanging out with these type of girls, anyway. I just didn't fit in.

Tucking a lock of blue hair behind my ear, I sighed exasperatedly. Two people had only accepted my invitations. Some random girl I didn't even know seemed eager to come. By that time, I was desperate to the point where I started to throw the pieces of paper in the hallways. A girl with ratty blonde hair and giant glasses agreed that she would be there.

And then there was Wybie. My only true friend I had made since I left Michigan. He seemed to be the only person I felt comfortable around. He listened to most of the things I had to say, even if he thought they were ridiculous or insane.

One example of an insane thing would be my story about the Other World.

Yes, almost three years had passed since that horrid event occured. At times I tried to convince myself that had a very realistic dream. An e_xtremely _realistic dream, that is. My denial attempts didn't last for long, though. The nightmares of the place would return and I would know for a fact that it indeed happened. There was just no way to get anyone to believe me.

Wybie's Gramma was the only one that believed me at this point. When I had told her after my parents' party for getting their plant catalogue accepted, she didn't seem surprised. She told me that her twin sister had spoken of button eyes and wonderous creatures right before she disappeared. Wybie's Gramma, or Mrs. Lovat, said that she merely thought that her sister was making things up for attention.

She was definitely wrong. I could never imagine how it must feel like to lose someone because you didn't believe what they said. Then again, my parents almost had to find out how it felt.

As goosebumps began to form on my arms, I continued my trek down the crowded hallways. I would have to 'inform' my mom later that having a party was a bad idea. This was the exact reason why I didn't have a party the past two years. I didn't have any friends to invite.

I was just about to return to my next class or hide in the bathroom when I heard Wybie's voice behind me.

"Hey Jonesy!"

I hid a smile as his voice cracked. He would always get embarrassed when I made fun of his voice, claiming that he couldn't control what puberty did to him. Deciding to cut him some slack and not bother him, I turned. "Hey Wybie," I greeted. Suddenly feeling awkward about the invitations, I hid them behind my back. "What's up?"

Straightening the trench coat which was totally too small for him now, Wybie looked at his feet. "Nothing, really. I was just going to ask who you've invited to your party so far."

I glanced behind my back. "Oh, um... It's going great."

"I didn't ask how it was going. I asked who you invited." Wybie ruffled his hair, and I noticed once again that he really needed a hair cut. Then again, he wasn't himself without that mess of fuzz on his head.

Sighing, I replied, "Okay, you win. All I've invited is you and that... one chick."

He raised an eyebrow. "That one chick?"

"I don't really know," I admitted. "She seemed to want to come, though."

"So what you're saying is... No one will accept your invitations?"

"No!" I elbowed him in the arm, and he yelped. "I just have no one _to _invite. I'm really not close to any of the girls here."

"Or any girl at all?"

I gave him a deathly glare.

Wybie stepped back a few feet. "Okay, pretend like I didn't say that."

"Never mind," I sighed. "This party thing really isn't working out. Just having you come over for pizza or something seems like a better idea."

He gave me a weird look. "Are you sure?"

To prove my point, I made my way over to the nearest trash can. Raising the stack of invitations high, I let them fall into the pile of garbage below me. "I'm positive, Wybie. Now, I better get to class. I really don't want to get detention again."

He grinned, "How many detentions have you gotten? Oh yeah, thirty--"

"If you enjoy living, you'll stop talking now."

* * *

"Coraline, really? Are you still 11 years old?"

I glanced down at the mud dripping from my yellow swampers. After school, which I hadn't enjoyed at all, I decided that exploring would help me feel better. Due to all of the school work I had to do during the day, I really hadn't gotten the chance to go outside in a while. Now, coming back from the woods my boots had decided to track in mud with them.

I grinned sheepishly. "Possibly?"

My mother, Mel Jones sighed. She never seemed to be in a good mood, no matter what situation she was in. The only time she ever showed a real smile was when her plant ideas and catalogs got accepted. That or perhaps when I actually _don't _annoy her. This is a very rare occurrence. Putting a hand to forehead she said, "Drop them in the sink."

Once I had gotten them off my feet and safely into the sink, I began to scrub them with the nearest sponge and washcloth. Yes, I am a very messy person. I leave tracks of crumbs and mud where ever I go.

"Did you get more invitations passed out today?" My mom asked, mobilizing back to her laptop. She was always on it religiously, as if her life depended on it. My dad, on the other hand, actually found other things to do besides stare at a bright screen all day. I don't blame him for getting on the computer now. He threw out his old piece of junk about a month ago and got a nice PC.

I stopped what I was doing. Staring at the mud dripping down the boots as if it were art, I said, "Um... about that..."

My mom's eyes actually moved from the screen to look at me. "Yes?"

"I threw them out," I replied simply.

"What? Why? Coraline, you know how long it took me to make those--"

"Yeah I know, mom. I'm sorry. I just don't have anyone to invite!"

She took a sip from her I Heart Mulch mug. "I just thought that you wanted a party. After all, you haven't had one for the past two years."

I went back to scrubbing. "I just... don't do well with the girls at my school. I mean, really! All they do is gossip about things I don't care about and wear... pink." I wrinkled my nose at the disgusting color. "Honestly, mom, I have no desire for them to come to my house. And I know they don't, either."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever you want to do, Coraline. It doesn't matter to me. I just thought this would be a good chance for you to get some new friends, and stop talking about that O--"

"Don't say it," I practically hissed. "I hate it when you bring _it_ into our conversations." Rinsing the boots and cleaning utensils, I began to trot out of the room.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see my mom put her hands up. "Alright, there's no need to be defensive. I just... you know, worry about you sometimes."

I stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, putting a hand on the wall. "There's nothing to worry about mom. I'm perfectly fine in my _crazy_, friendless state." I emphasized the word 'crazy'. Everyone seemed to think I was mentally ill. I told one _little _story--that, I might add, was real and terrifying--to people and now they thought that something was wrong with me. Yes, I am different, but... I like it that way.

Shutting her laptop slowly, my mom sighed. "Coraline, I don't think you're crazy. What you say sometimes is... well... a little unbelievable."

"Fine. Sure. I understand."

I nearly ran out of the room before she could open her mouth to say something else.

* * *

I thought that once I got to sleep everything would be better. Sleeping usually helped my mood, especially if I was PMSing or if my mom lectured me for a long time. Both of those things were going on at once, which possibly prophesied the end of the world. I only got to drift off for a little while before I heard a noise.

When it first woke me up, I dismissed it as Cat wandering around the house. How that timeless cat manages to get inside my house at night, I will never know. The second time I heard it, I merely groaned and tried to block out the sound with my pillows.

Then it got louder.

So loud to the point where I had to get it to stop or I wouldn't sleep at all. Sitting up, I swung my legs to the end of the bed and attempted to walk out of my room. Annoyed with my bed head hair, I smoothed it down as I began to look around. The noise sounded like the scuttling of bug-like legs, and it was getting really hard not to ignore. Hoping that it was a small enough bug I could kill with my foot, I made my way down the stairs.

Nearly tripping from my foggy mind, I finally made it to the first floor. I tugged my blue blanket tighter around my shoulders. I've been sleeping with it for as long as I can remember. I don't need it to sleep, but I feel more comfortable when it's around.

I was definitely _not _expecting to see one of my greatest fears in front of me.

The Other Mother's, or as I and her past victims liked to call her, the Beldam's hand sat in front of _the _door. This door was the thing I tried to avoid most, way ahead of the old ladies that lived downstairs. The hand seemed to stare at me with a blank gaze, its needle-like fingers twitching.

My heart twisted and my whole body turned icy cold. The room temperature seemed to drop about twenty degrees and I couldn't move. My eyes, wide in fear, stared at the hand in front of me.

It wasn't possible. I went almost 3 years without any close encounters with the Beldam, let alone anything from the Other World. The place behind the door seemed silent the past few years. Now it was slowly waking up.

Clutching my blanket tightly with shaking hands, I expected the hand to lunge at me. It didn't. It just sat there, as though it were comtemplating a way to kill me. All I could hear was my shallow breathing and the ticking of the clock. I hoped the feeling of time slowing down was just me.

"W-What's going on?" I asked it, as though it would answer. Not that I wanted it to. If it did, I might have just keeled over. "How d-did you escape?" More importantly, how did it put itself back together?

The hand flexed its fingers, the noise of metal against metal bouncing off the walls.

"Why don't you ask its owner," a voice whispered in my ear. Chuckling, I felt the fingers of the person stroke my electric blue hair. A cold chill made its way down my spine. Preparing to knock the daylights out of a certain someone, I spun around. My fist met with open air.

Blinking a few times, I sputtered, "W-What?" I turned to see that the hand was no longer there. I suddenly felt sick, and I had to put a hand to my forehead. The hand could have been anywhere. Under the couch, in _my _room, in... the Other World. My eyes lingered to the door once again, and saw that nothing had changed. The door was unopened, the bricks and the dusty tunnel out of sight.

Shivering, I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders. I put a hand to my hair, still feeling the ghost of needle-like fingers upon my head. Exhaling deeply, I knew what I was in for.

My birthday was definitely going to be an interesting one.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Didn't think I'd update this quickly, did you? I surprisingly did. And there's actually going to be *gasp* a **_**plot **_**in the next chapter.**

* * *

I was brought out of my latest daydream when a paper wad hit the back of my head.

Preparing to give the person a good smack in the jaw, I spun around. There was Wybie, cowering in his nearby desk. He nearly dropped his pencil when he saw my angered expression, and was now staring at me with expectant eyes. Although I was annoyed with him constantly throwing things at me, the feeling of amusement soon overpowered the other. Slumping deeper into my seat, I sighed.

"What do you want, Wybie?" I asked. It was the end of the period, and everyone was allowed to talk freely until the bell rang. It was about time, too. I was yearning for the weekend, and tired of wearing my dull gray uniform everyday. I managed to blend in some other colors I enjoyed just like everyone else, but it wasn't the same as wearing the clothes that _I _liked. Then again, I was just lucky to get away with my blue hair color.

He twiddled his thumbs nervously. Sometimes the way I treated him made me feel bad, but I would never admit it to his face. "I just wanted to tell you that I have your present in my locker," he said quickly.

I knitted my eyebrows. "Present? But my birthday isn't until tomorrow." _Thank God_, I added silently. I did _not _want my birthday to be on a school day, because in my opinion that just ruined the whole feeling of turning a year older. My second reason as to why I was glad my birthday wasn't today, was because I had a terrible feeling about the Beldam's hand. Knowing the witch behind the door, I knew she thoroughly enjoyed torturing me. Therefore, she would come after me on a day that was supposed to be happy. Trying not to show my inner thoughts on my face, I kept my expression neutral.

Wybie shrugged. "I just... wanted to give it to you early, I guess."

"Oh... Well, that's fine I guess," I replied lamely. I wasn't sure why he wanted to give me my gift early, but I thought it was best not to question him at the moment.

I nearly ran out of class when the bell rang. I wasn't too fond of school, nor the people who were in it. I really had no one to talk to, so there was nothing to look forward to when I went to class. I exhaled deeply, making my way to my locker. After fumbling with the lock, I swung the door open.

What I saw made my blood run cold.

A doll, made to look like myself, stared back at me on my full locker's only shelf. Its features were plastered with mud and grim, as if it had been through a lot to get inside the tiny space. One button eye was hanging loosely on its face. The other was glinting dully, the way my worst enemy's eyes once did. It was wearing my old yellow raincoat I used to wear when I was younger. Its smile was settled in a lopsided smirk, as if it were pleased by my reaction.

I held back a scream as I felt someone tap on my shoulder. Spinning around, I saw that it was Wybie with a small package in his hand.

"Easy there, Jonesy," he said, his eyes almost as wide as mine. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Realizing the doll was still there, I panicked. Without turning around, I slammed my locker close, nearly smashing my fingers within it. "U-Uh, you didn't."

Eying me strangely, he handed me the small, wrapped gift. "Well, here's your present. I just, you know, wanted to give you this one early."

I finally managed to find my voice. "_This _one? Please don't tell me you got me t_wo _presents, Why-Were-You-Born." I tried to sound nonchalant as I added the nickname in there.

He cringed at the old name. "The big one's at my house, but I found this earlier today, and well... it reminded me of you." He gestured toward the object, urging me to open it.

Still shaky, I managed to unwrap the gift without dropping it.

I almost had _another _heart attack.

The eerily familiar seeing stone sat in the palm of my hand. The temperature of the rock managed to remain icy cold on my fingers even through the wrapping. The blue hue of it seemed to shine faintly in the florescent lighting. The stone was just as it was before the Beldam threw it into the green flames of the fireplace. It looked as though it had never been burned at all.

My hand shook and my 'present' slipped from underneath my fingers.

Wybie quickly retrieved the stone, examining it to see if it was damaged. It was it worse shape than he'll ever know. "Careful, butter fingers." He gave me something close to a smile, but frowned when I stared blankly back. "Coraline, are you okay? You've seemed edgy ever since we came to the lockers. What, you don't like the present?"

"N-No, no! I do, it's very help-" I stopped myself from going any further. Reaching out my hand, he dropped the seeing stone into my palm. The thumping of my heart refused to stop. "I just... I gotta go, Wybie."

"Um, okay," he replied awkwardly. Turning on his heel, he began to walk in the direction of the stairs. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. _What the hell, _my mind told me. "Actually... Is it alright if you come over sometime today? I really need to discuss something with you."

Wybie looked more confused than the time when he thought the Beldam's doll was his grandma's spy. "Uh, sure. I can come over."

"Perfect. I'll see you then." Trying to put yet another neutral expression on my face, I began walking down the stairs.

"Coraline?"

I reluctantly looked up.

"Happy birthday."

* * *

"Caroline dear, you _still _carry around that old thing?"

"It's for good luck, April. I don't blame her for keeping it for such a long time!"

"Please, Mariam. That dusty rock never helped me find Juach's missing shoes for the theatre. And then when you found them, he ended up falling in love with you! Hah! To think. I never thought he was into such busty-"

"Um, Miss Spink and Forcible?"

Both of them turned to look at me. It usually took all my will power to break them out of their arguments, no matter how ridiculous they seemed. After nearly keeling over at school, I decided to visit the Misses that lived in the downstairs flat. From their reaction when they first gave me the seeing stone, they appeared to know a lot about its origin.

"Could we please get back on the subject of the stone?" I asked. I stared at the blue triangular rock that lie atop the coffee table. Although I expected it to do something abnormal, it just sat there.

Waving her hand in the air, Miss Spink said, "Oh, of course dearie. We apologize." She gave one last glare at Miss Forcible, then picked the stone up to examine it. "I'm impressed. It appears to be in extraordinary condition!"

The image of the Beldam throwing the seeing stone in the fire came back into my mind. None of this seemed possible. Old possessions and items from the Other World were coming back, even though it was humanly impossible. _Humanly. _That was the key word there. No _human _could bring the items back once they had been destroyed, but someone else could.

"That's the weird thing," I told them. "Not too long ago, _I _accidentally dropped the stone into my fireplace. It burned to bits, but it just... appeared again recently. I don't know how it's even possible." Yes, it wasn't the best lie in the world, but it could work.

Miss Forcible snatched the stone from Miss Spink's grasp. "That doesn't surprise me, Caroline."

"Still Coraline, Miss F-"

"It seems to me that the stone still wanted to exist. This object that I hold in my hand now has unbelievable power," she interrupted. "Perhaps something important is lost and the stone wishes to find it."

"Or perhaps something _bad _is going to happen," Miss Spink shot back.

"Nonsense! Something is indeed lost."

"I highly believe that something terrible is about to occur and the stone-"

I quickly spoke to prevent another pointless discussion. "It could easily be both," I said. I knew it had to be both. The stone helped with both lost and bad things. The ghost children's eyes were the lost things and the deformations of the people I had to face were the bad things. For what ever reason why the Beldam's hand, the doll, and the stone were miraculously back was beyond my comprehension.

The two elderly women stared at me as if I belonged in an asylum.

Taking one last sip from the surprisingly good tea they gave me, I got up. "I think that's all the help I need. I really have to go now. I told Wybie he could come over."

Miss Spink probably gave me the creepiest grin ever. "Anytime, Caroline. Have fun!"

Knowing exactly what was going on in her head about Wybie, I sprinted out of there before Miss Forcible could say her farewell.

* * *

"You still have this old thing?"

Giving Wybie a good thump on the head, I snatched my old teddy bear from his hands. "Yes, I do. What of it?" I gave him a good glare, and settled the bear back into my old toy chest. I later put it back in its rightful spot on my bed.

Wybie shrugged, deciding it was best not to say anything that might offend me. Smart boy. "I dunno," he merely said. After walking around the room for a few moments, he asked, "Why did you want me to come over today?"

I hesitated, taking my eyes off the chest and back to Wybie. I wasn't sure how to answer him. After all, every time I mentioned the Other World or the night at the well he'd change the subject. He'd say things like, 'Why does it even matter anymore?' or, 'Why do you care so much about something that probably never happened?'. Giving up I said, "It's about... The Beldam." I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, hoping this would turn out decently.

"The... Beldam?" Without looking at him, I could tell that he was giving me a strange look. "Like the Other Mother?" he asked. I knew already that he was preparing to come up with an excuse as to why he was going to leave soon.

"Yes. The monster that nearly killed me when we were 11," I said casually.

"What about her?"

I turned from him, hesitant to say anything else. No matter who I brought the Beldam up with, they always called me crazy or left as soon as possible. I began playing with my black earrings to distract myself. "I've been seeing some things. Things that... dealt with her back when she was trying to get me." I cringed at the thought of her coming after me again in various ways.

Wybie shuffled his feet. "What kind of things? Like objects?"

"Yeah." I slowly made my way over to the end table that stood beside my bed. Picking up the seeing stone that lay there, I put my palm out to show him. "This present you gave me today... The Beldam burned it back when I was playing the game to get my parents back."

I sneaked a glance at him, and was surprised to see that he was no longer giving me the 'I-think- you're-crazy' stare.

"How is that possible?" he asked. "I found it near the..." He suddenly paused, his eyes growing bigger.

"Near the...?"

"...Well."

I shuddered. Images of the Beldam's hand almost dragging me back to the door from the well entered my mind. It had nearly choked me to death by pulling me by the button key necklace around my neck. If the Beldam was able to get her hand out of the well, conjure objects that were once destroyed, and talk to me whenever, then she was bound to have gotten the key.

"And today at school," I continued, "the doll that looked like me appeared in my locker."

"The one that I gave you?"

"No, the _other _creepy doll that looks like me." I rolled my eyes despite the fact that I was practically shaking. "Yes, that one. And I also burned that in the fireplace. It was after the doll started... looking like my parents."

I turned my head to see that Wybie looked concerned. "So you think that she's still alive? And she's now coming back for you?"

"Why else would these objects just randomly appear after three years? Not only that, but I saw... _her _hand last night by the door. I'm not really sure what happened, but it disappeared after a minute or two." I gave a nervous sigh.

After what seemed like hours, Wybie said, "So what you're saying, is that this... Beldam monster wants to take you back behind the door for whatever reason after three years? And you want to fight her off before anything... too bad happens?"

I gave him a strange look. "Exactly. And I was hoping that..." I paused, unsure of what I was about to say.

"You were hoping what?"

"I... I was hoping that you would help me."

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed my statement. I began to shift nervously, wondering if what I said affected him in a negative way.

"I-I dunno," he muttered, beginning to walk about the room. "I really don't know anything about this other than this Beldam has a killer grip." His sentence was supposed to be amusing, but I certainly didn't take it that way. All that came to mind was the Beldam strangling me to death.

I ran my fingers through my blue bob of hair, suddenly exhausted. "She's a creepy spider witch that eats children. What else is there to know?"

Wybie shrugged, seemingly unaffected by my description of the Beldam. "I just thought there'd be more to it. Don't you think there's more to know about her?"

I sighed. "A tragic past of a monster is pretty much the last thing on my mind. Right now I'm just worried about getting killed and later eaten."

"Well then, I guess that's it. I'll... help you." He played with his hands uncomfortably. "I'm not too happy about whatever is going to happen, but if it means preventing you from getting killed, so be it."

I smiled with sudden amusement. "I appreciate your concern over my life."

He chuckled despite the situation. "Wouldn't anyone be concerned?"

"Knowing my mom, hardly." I rolled my eyes, but then realized that my annoyance toward my mother was what got me into this mess in the first place. Soon feeling guilty, I spoke up again. "Could you come over early tomorrow? Maybe like, eleven?"

Wybie nodded. "That's fine. Gramma wants me to do a few things for her in the morning, so that will work out."

"Perfect. That will give me enough time to prepare for everything," I said.

"But are you sure you want to do something like this on your _birthday_?"

I snorted. "Trust me, turning a year older and presents are the last thing on my mind right now."

After a few moments of silence, Wybie began to head out of my room. "So, tomorrow at eleven?"

"Eleven it is."

As he left me alone, I soon felt the weight of the situation finally reach me. The twisting of my stomach that was nonexistent earlier appeared. My now shaking legs staggered, making me hold onto my bedpost for support. I wasn't sure how I would react to seeing my worst nightmare again. Would my reaction be neutral? A mere disgusted look in her direction as she gave me her signature smirk? Or would I be paralyzed with fear as her figure loomed above me? I shivered, deciding to save those thoughts for the next day.

For now, I was just hoping not to fall over with anxiety.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Is the world ending? I just updated in less than two days. This story is going to go in a completely different direction than my last. I hope it won't get too confusing and strange. **

**Shorter, I know, but I felt like the next part of the story couldn't fit in this chapter. **

* * *

I awoke the next morning feeling strange.

It wasn't the strange feeling you get after waking up from a dream or when you're in the state between reality and sleep. No, this was a feeling I had never experienced before. I couldn't seem to put it into words. My head felt light but my body ached as if I had been walking a long distance before I went to bed. Groaning, I cracked my limbs as I rolled over under the sheets.

_14. _

My eyes snapped open after I pulled the comforter over my head. It was my 14th birthday. Perhaps this was why I felt strange, for I had just turned a year older. _No, that couldn't be it, _my mind shot back at me. I usually felt normal and unchanged when I woke up on my birthday, as if I was the same age as the day before. This feeling was... eerie. It was no where near good.

Then I noticed something else. I couldn't smell my dad's birthday waffles he made every year. They weren't a bit good, and the smell was even worse than the taste. He always got up earlier than I did to prepare a couple for me before I woke up. Still, it was nice that he thought of me in that way. Wondering if why I couldn't smell anything was because I was under the covers, I threw them away from my body.

My heart slammed against my rib cage.

Trembling, I allowed my vision to become clearer than before. Once my fingers found my blue blanket, I pulled it up near my face, blinking rapidly. I was hoping that everything seemed more bright and... c_olorful _just because I was used to the darkness of sleep, but my sight soon changed my mind completely.

I was definitely _not _in my regular bedroom.

First of all, my band posters had disappeared from the walls completely. My brain desperately hoped that my mother just got sick of them and decided to remove them from the walls while I was asleep. My hopes were destroyed when I processed that the walls were a bright pink. My walls were _never _pink. The only time they were ever that color was when--

"Oh _hell _no," I whispered aloud. The CDs and various books that usually lined my shelves were replaced by colorful, unbelievably familiar moving toys.

"Hey soldier!" I heard a voice say in a strange accent. My head snapped to the spot on the shelf where I heard the voice, and I realized it was a stuffed giraffe with an army tank for a body. My eyes grew wide, and I nearly fell off the bed.

"No... No. Oh my God, _no!_" This time I actually did fall off the bed, my arms a second too late to catch myself. I landed hardly on my backside, wincing as a sharp pain made its way up my back.

"Easy there, baby," I heard another voice say. I could recognize that voice anywhere. It was definitely that blue octopus toy that had a single button eye in the middle of its face. Refusing to look up at the toys, I put shaking fingers to my face.

"This can't be happening," I said louder this time. "This wasn't supposed to happen. Not yet. I was... We were..."

"Hello, Coraline! We haven't seen you in such a long time!" Hauntingly familiar dragonflies buzzed around near my face, flying around with excitement. "We're so glad that you have returned!"

With a strangled whimper, I backed up into my end table. Although I was wide awake at this point, I still could barely function. The alive objects that were surrounding me for the first time in three years was too much.

I pointed a shaking, accusing finger at the dragonflies. "Y-You can't be real! This is j-just a dream. I'm just n-nervous about what I'm going to do today and--"

I was interrupted by an all too familiar sugar coated voice.

"Lovely! You're awake," the voice said with far too fake enthusiasm. I felt a chilling hand make its way to my shoulder, where its unbelievable cold temperature traveled up my spine.

My whole body froze completely. My breath hitched in my throat, and I couldn't find my voice to even let out a terrified scream. My eyes darted to my shoulder where they met with a pale, bony hand. Each fingernail was painted neatly with a deep red color that sickeningly reminded me of blood.

All of the toys and objects in the room seemed to have stopped moving and disappeared completely. I was now alone with...

My mind refused to comprehend who was currently behind me. How did she even get there? Last time I checked, I was alone in a room with creepy, talking toys. Knowing the possible world I was now in, it could make anything happen.

"It was such a trouble to get you here," s_he _mused thoughtfully. "It took most of my power that took me ages to regain to transfer you here!" Hearing the fake smile in her voice, she added, "It's just wonderful to see you again after you left me in that mess."

"Shut up," I whispered, my teeth beginning to clench. "Just shut up!" I yanked away from her grasp, my shoulder feeling the ghost of her touch that was once there. Pushing back a shiver, I allowed myself to get up and stare at the monster that had the nerve to capture me again.

I stumbled backwards when I saw her face. I knew who I was about to see, but it was still a shock to see the person I feared most after all those years. The Beldam, who haunted my mind and dreams, stared at me with a slight smirk playing on her picture perfect features. She was back in her original form when I came to the Other World for the first time. Her button eyes gleamed with amusement as my eyes remained glued on her face. As I stood beside her then, I realized that we were almost the same height.

I opened my mouth to shoot another insult in her direction, but words couldn't seem to escape from my throat. I merely stood there, dumbfounded by the entire situation.

The Beldam made a sound that was close to a giggle. "Unbelievable. Look how much you've grown, Coraline!" I tensed as she made her way over to me, but I didn't move. Her fingers found my hair, and if I wasn't so overwhelmed with fear, I would have slapped her across the face. "Still not bored with the color blue, I see. And those curves! I'd say you're going to become just as attractive as I am someday." If she didn't have buttons for eyes, I swear she would have winked then. I, personally, was already fed up.

"If you're done staring at my body," I spat, "I would like to know why you've brought me back to Hell."

Her signature smirk disappeared from her face. "Language, Coraline. I'd be really disappointed if you picked up a couple of words while you were gone. Are boys becoming a problem, too?"

I was not about to let her go there. "I would appreciate it if you stopped changing the subject."

The Beldam gave an impatient sigh, then removed herself from my hair. "If you really must know, then I will tell you. As you may recall, you beat me at my own game."

"Why do I find that hard to forget?" I asked, hoping my annoyed gaze would burn a hole in her face. I felt like punching her hard in the stomach, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. It was if the monster that stood before me was controlling my actions.

"Because of this, I lost all power. I couldn't make things or change the world around me, let alone move! If it didn't take as long for me to regain my strength, I would have had you return here ages ago. But, once my powers returned to my body, I got rid of that nasty old shell and returned to this." She pointed to herself as if she was the most attractive person alive.

"Wonderful story. Could you please get on to the main idea of w_hy _I'm here? Is it just because you want to sew buttons in my eyes again and eat my soul?"

The Beldam waved my comment off. "Goodness, no! You beat me, Coraline, therefore I don't have the right to do anything like that anymore. It's part of the code."

"The... what?"

"There are others like me, you know." She stared into space, a new smile forming at her lips. "If we are defeated by a child, which I might add, rarely occurs, then we must follow the code of our kind."

I suddenly felt colder than before, and I was suddenly interested in the full moon outside the bedroom window. "What does the code say?" I asked.

"The code says that we're no longer allowed to use the child for our needs. That means I can't use you for nutrients for my body, as I did to the others who once came here," she replied casually.

_The Ghost Children. _Their sorrowed faces soon came to mind, and I grimaced. At least they were in heaven now, most likely enjoying the wonders of being free. I wondered why The Beldam talked about eating children so casually, but then again, she wasn't even human.

"That doesn't make any sense!" I said loudly, suddenly angry again. "What, did you just bring me here for your own amusement? Or did you get lonely with a bunch of dolls for friends?"

The Beldam smirked once again. "Careful with your words. I'm still allowed to do what I want with you if you become difficult."

I settled into silence, not wanting to know what the spider witch had in mind.

"There is more to the code than just what I said. It's something our kind has practiced since the beginning of time."

I could tell this wasn't going to be pretty. "And that is?"

"Since you've beaten my game, the code states that you must become like me."

A sickening feeling traveled down to my stomach. My eyes wide, I hoped that I heard her words wrong. _The code states that you must become like me. _Suddenly, I couldn't breathe and I struggled to keep my balance as I was at a loss for words. "Which means?" I barely whispered.

"In order for you to _not _get buttons sewn into your eyes and die eventually, you must learn the ways of our kind. This means that you'll learn how to manipulate this world and create whatever your heart desires." I could tell that she was enjoying my reaction, for her twisted version of a smile had grown.

My mouth soon became dry and an overwhelming headache found its way to my forehead. I clutched at the area above my eyebrows, settling myself on the bed that was definitely not mine. "No. No way in _hell _am I becoming a... a... _spider _monster like you!" I almost screamed.

The Beldam frowned. "The consequences are as I just stated. You will die here, and you'll possibly never see your friend again."

"_Friend_?"

She had my full attention now. "You know, the quiet one that likes to cause trouble."

My heart ached. Someone I hadn't thought about for quite a long while entered my mind. The image of Other Wybie, sad smile and all was the only thing I could think about. He was still alive? And I could s_ee _him?

"Other Wybie," I stated. "Where is he?" My voice was suddenly desperate. I longed to see the tragic version of my talkative friend that once helped me in my time of need. The thought of him being alive and possibly _well _was enough to clear my thoughts of everything else.

"I'll allow you to see him once you agree to what I have told you," The Beldam replied. I felt ashamed after how I reacted to her words, for she now was staring at me with more disgusting amusement than before.

I sat motionless on the bed, my mind whirling.

"There's always room for more of us, Coraline. We're slowly dying out. None of us have been created since an unbelievable amount of time. Houses like this one are gradually being destroyed. A child hasn't defeated one of us in over a thousand years."

My hands were shaking again. "I... I can't kill innocent children. I-It's... _inhuman_."

"You have no other choice but to learn. You're the perfect person to become like one of us. You have enough knowledge of this world as it is, and I can tell you'll posses great power. Perhaps such power that even surpasses my own," she told me.

"Will I be able to see my family again? Do you swear that you'll let me see Other Wybie, and not sew buttons in my eyes or possibly kill me?" This was all I cared about at this point.

"If you listen and cooperate, then yes. I will allow this."

This was not what I expected. I expected to just be lured back here to be tortured and killed, not to become like the Beldam! I had no desire to be like... whatever she was. When my brain remembered the consequences of me not following this new code, I knew I had no other choice.

"When do we start?" I asked wearily.

The Beldam's Cheshire Cat grin returned. "As soon as possible. We must prepare before the others return to see your progress."

My head whipped up to look at her. "_Others_?"

"Oh yes. They will definitely come to see you." The Beldam paused for a moment, staring into space. It looked as though she was staring into space anyway. "Have you ever heard of the poem _La Belle Dame Sans Merci_?"

I stared at her blankly. "Poem?" I glanced out the window and saw something flash by it that strongly resembled Cat.

"It's more of a ballad, but..." Something flashed before her button eyes, and then her normal, creepy expression returned. "Never mind then, Coraline. We best get started."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I'm working on a novel of my own right now, so don't expect another update anytime soon. This chapter is also terribly short. (It's more like a filler chapter than anything else)**

**As I was updating, I began to wonder this: Why do so many people love stories with Wybie as the main character/plot? I may never know. **

* * *

I already felt terrible and different.

As soon as the words, _When do we start? _came from my mouth, I felt like I had just agreed to sell my soul to Satan. In my opinion, the Beldam _was _Satan. Or at least the female version of him. You get my point. Now that I thought about it, it really seemed as though I had made myself a slave without putting up much of a fight. Here I was, now listening to every single word uttered by the Beldam with barely a second thought. What was wrong with me?

"Coraline, darling?"

My head snapped up. I was sitting... Where was I sitting? I looked around, and realized that the Beldam had brought me to some type of workshop. Where had that come from? It looked terribly similar to our small basement in the Pink Palace. Only I was in the Beldam's version of it.

Shelves, drawers, small closets and all lined the walls and most of the floor of this workshop. Dusty books, cloth, ratty dolls and other items I couldn't make out sat in various containers and holding devices. I thought I saw my very own doll sitting upon one of the shelves, smirking triumphantly at me, but I hoped it was just a trick of the light. The only light source in the workshop was a tiny light bulb dangling from the ceiling. I wondered how the Beldam could possibly see in here, then remembered she had buttons for eyes. If she could see through buttons, she certainly had no problem seeing in the dark.

I shuddered. I allowed my gaze to focus on the Beldam's outrageously high heeled shoes instead of her face. All that came out was a choked, "Yes?" I felt like slapping myself. This monster didn't even deserve a kind 'yes'. She deserved a, _Leave me the hell alone witch, before I kick your sorry a-_

My thought was cut short by the Beldam answering me. "Would you be a dear and get me some fabric? There's some lovely blue cloth over by the window."

I clenched my teeth and barely kept myself from snapping at her. Biting my tongue, I got up from the dull chair I was in to go fetch the fabric, which was, sadly, intentionally blue. I pulled down my old t-shirt that I slept in as I made my way over to the window. I noticed that the space behind the window was a darker shade of blue than the sky outside. It looked almost as if what lay beyond was actual _space, _with planets and stars and who knows what else. I wondered if someone were to throw something out there if it would float away to an unknown realm.

Taking my eyes slowly off the window, I found the fabric that the Beldam was talking about nearby. It was folded neatly on top of the others, as if the monster had already planned to use it. I scowled, taking the metallic blue fabric off of the pile and making my way back to the chair.

"Here, _your highness._" I meant to toss the fabric at her feet, but she somehow caught it with unrealistic speed. I blinked a couple of times, taken aback by this.

Her blood red lips formed into a smirk once again. Changing the subject, she said, "Are you ready to start?"

My gaze turned to the blue fabric that was now in her hands. Was she actually expecting me to do something with that? Sewing wasn't my specialty, especially since I now had a phobia of all things that dealt with needles. I cringed as I remembered the many times my fear of buttons and sewing items had been revealed to people. I broke into a cold sweat every time my mom tried to fix a button on my shirt or a needle was brought into my sight. Did this monster _really _expect me to do things like her?

I fingered the small earring at the top of my left ear nervously. "What am I supposed to do with that?" I wasn't very comfortable with being in the same room as my worst nightmare with sewing utensils surrounding us.

The Beldam stared at me with amusement. "I'm just going to see how much you know already." She put her hand out, signaling that she wanted me to take the blue fabric.

I stared blankly at it. _How much I know already? _What was I even supposed to do with a single piece of cloth? After a few moments, I allowed myself to take the fabric from her. Her palm felt like cold sandpaper, so I recoiled almost immediately. "I don't understand," I muttered.

"You will soon enough. Why, just being here in my presence is already changing who you are."

I blanched and found myself stumbling backward. _Just being here in my presence is already changing who you are. _The strange feeling I was currently experiencing was due to some change. I glanced down at my bare arms, inspecting them in case pale cracks were appearing in the skin. _No, _I told myself. _Don't think about your appearance now. You'll get out of this mess._

"Hm," she pondered, her grin never leaving her face. "Come here."

I was hesitant. After all, who _would _listen to a spider witch whose original intentions were to sew buttons into your eyes and then later eat you? I thought about my life, which would be at stake if I didn't listen to the Beldam. Then I thought about my family, friends, and Other Wybie. I hadn't seen the speechless doll in 3 years, and my feelings for him were returning. Wait, _feelings? _My eyes grew wide for a moment. What was I thinking? He was a doll, made by my worst-

Suddenly, the Beldam was beside me and my mind went totally blank. I spun around, finding her button eyes staring intently at my face. I made a noise close to a squeak, and nearly jumped in the air. "W-What the _hell_," I sputtered. "Why must you always scare the crap out of me?"

"You didn't move, so I came over here," she told me, as if I were a child. "Is something wrong, darling?"

I brought a shaking hand up to tuck my hair behind my ears, for it was starting to stick to the back of my neck. "I'll tell you what's wrong. This..." I gestured to her, the area, and myself. "This whole thing! Why did you bring me back here? I was fine without being a psycho spider witch! You never make any sense, and honestly, I have no idea why you even care so much! I could easily do w_ithout _all of this. I don't even-"

I was suddenly cut off. I couldn't move, couldn't _breathe. _My heart seemed to stop, and my eyes frantically darted in all directions. I realized that I was pinned to the wall by the Beldam, and her bony fingers had a tight grasp at my throat. I looked closer and saw that her hands were bigger and longer than before. With choked gasps, I attempted to look up.

The Beldam was back in her second form. Memories I had desperately tried to push away in the depths of my mind came flooding back. I had mouthed off, telling the monster that she wasn't my mother. She soon went over the edge, growing taller and uglier in a matter of seconds. _You may come out when you've learned to be a loving daughter! _she had screamed at me after throwing me behind the mirror.

Her wrinkled mouth was pulled back in a snarl. "Listen _brat, _I don't have to do this. I could kill you right now to make matters easier. Would you like me to?"

There was a strange ringing in my ears now as I tried to shake my head with her hand still around my throat. My heart was beating at an unbelievable rate. I was completely terrified and I couldn't do anything about it. I struggled, clawing at her hand uselessly with my stubby fingernails.

"Of course, The First wouldn't want me to do that," she seemed to say to herself. She turned her head slightly, as if she was trying to see something on the floor. She smirked, suddenly. "But things have changed since her time."

"_Let - Me - Go!" _I tried to scream, but it came out as a weak whisper. I felt her grip loosen, before finally pulling away. I gasped for breath, and clutched at my neck as I wobbled to the floor. I must have looked pathetic, coughing wildly and trying to return to my normal state. If I indeed looked pathetic, than there was no doubt that the Beldam was enjoying this. Making hacking noises, I allowed my eyes to return to the monster before me.

_The First? _Who was that? What did it mean?

"Hmph." The Beldam made a noise that resembled annoyance, but the upward tug of her lips said otherwise. "I hoped you learned your lesson. Maybe now you know to listen to what I say."

I knew my eyes were still wide with shock, for they felt as though they would pop out of their sockets. I allowed myself to fall to my knees. I was suddenly weak, and I knew it wasn't due to just the lack of air. Something else was happening. Something I definitely didn't approve of. I merely blinked.

The Beldam went back to a nearby table. "Let's get back to work, shall we?"

* * *

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw myself in the mirror.

First of all, my hair looked like something Cat ate and then threw back up. It was a frizzy mass of blue that didn't even look like real hair. My butterfly hair clip, which I refused to take off, was suddenly missing from its usual spot at the top of my head. My skin had turned a sickly white color, much like the Beldam's unrealistic skin. Dark bags had formed under my eyes. All of these newly acquired features made me look like a zombie that had never heard of the word 'sleep'.

But, for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to sleep. It wasn't just because I was terrified due to the fact that a monster was in the same house as me. No, I didn't even feel tired. The dark circles under my eyes made it seem like I needed a week's worth of sleep, but being here for extensive amounts of time made me less tired. More like not tired at all.

Food was also becoming unappetizing. The Beldam made food in the kitchen when we weren't working, spending hours and hours in front of the heated stove. After the meal was ready, she'd sit it at the table and let it sit there until it started to grow mold. She had to have known that I had no desire to eat anything. If she knew this, then why did she always prepare food in her spare time?

I rubbed at my cheek, feeling the dry, peeling skin there. _If I ever get out of here, _I thought, _I'm buying a year's worth of skin cream. _

"Enjoying your new home?"

I could have recognized that voice anywhere. "I dunno, Cat," I replied. "Are _you _enjoying your time away from helping me?" Turning around, I locked eyes with familiar, icy blue orbs.

"_She _put up a barrier. It took me an extensive amount of time to get past it." He eyed me wearily, taking in my new appearance. "It looks like she's already begun transforming you."

"_Really?_" I faked surprise. "I hadn't even noticed!"

Cat merely looked up at me. "I don't think sarcasm is appropriate for this situation."

I put my hands on my hips dramatically. "And what _is _appropriate for my situation? Sit back and enjoy becoming a monster? Because that's really all I can do at this point!" Sighing, I turned my back to him. My image in the mirror stared back at me disapprovingly.

The old tom cat was silent.

"She's bringing others like her to see me," I whispered. "She said they would like to see my progress. Apparently there hasn't been another person like the Beldam in ages."

"You're correct," he responded. He circled me, the soft padding of his paws echoing in the empty hallway. "From the little knowledge I have, I know that another one of her species hasn't been created for well... longer than I've walked the earth. And that's certainly a long time."

I shook my head, chuckling despite the situation. "I just don't understand. _Why _does the Beldam want _me _so much? If I was her, I would have gotten bored a long time ago."

"Perhaps she is just determined to get her prey, or as she may look at it, receive what is rightfully hers." Cat's eyes wandered around the long hallway. "She brought you here in the first place. Knowing her, she probably finds you fascinating. Your courageous attitude and your ability to outsmart her might have something to do with it. The previous children she tricked lacked the intelligence and bravery that you posses."

"So I probably seem like a useful companion to her," I said. "With me by her side, we'd be able to lure any child that comes near here."

Cat looked me up and down, and if he were a human, he would have probably raised his eyebrows. "Yes. She most likely finds you a useful tool to get what she wants. And that's exactly why she is so determined. She _always _gets what she wants in the end."

I rubbed my arm uncomfortably. Remembering what the Beldam had said earlier, I whispered, "The First! Who is The First, Cat? She mentioned it-God, I'm beginning to lose track of time-not too long ago. She got angry with me and said The First wouldn't want her to kill me."

His blue eyes widened in surprise. He opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, his ears flapped back. Startled, he whipped his head frantically about the area. "I'll tell you the story later," he hissed. "For now, I must flee. She's returning."

With one last look at me, he disappeared around the corner.

About ten seconds later the Beldam strode in, her tall, anorexic-like form towering over me. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, the hint of anger nearly breaking her sweet facade.

"Myself," I answered a little too quickly. She raised a dark eyebrow. Nervously, I gestured toward the mirror. "I'm... not too thrilled about my appearance, and I was complaining about how crappy I look." I winced. Using the word 'crappy' probably wasn't the best thing to do.

"To yourself?"

I nodded slowly.

The Beldam stared at me long and hard. It was as if she were trying to find something about me that was invisible to her eyes-er, button eyes. "Very well, then," she said uncertainly. "It's about time for another lesson. Come downstairs in approximately five minutes."

She walked out without another look at me, the sound of her heels becoming fainter as she disappeared.

I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding. _It will be a miracle if I don't die from terror. _


End file.
